A study confirmed the relationship between smoking and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

(Ernie Mundell – HealthDay News) – New research helps confirm that smoking that it Risk factor A devastating brain disease Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis affects about 31,000 Americans each year, and about 5,000 new cases are diagnosed annually.According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is a progressive and fatal disease that causes nerve cells that control muscles to slowly die, causing weakness and paralysis.

The causes of ALS are unknown, and even the risk factors for the disease remain unclear.

In his new researchMeanwhile, a team from South Korea analyzed data from 32 different studies looking for possible links between smoking and ALS. They found that people who were smoking 12% more likely to develop amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Compared to those who did not, the risk increases even more if the person is a current smoker.

“One of our most important findings was the dose-response analysis, which revealed an inverted U-shaped curve,” said the study's lead author, Dr. Yoon Hak Kim, from the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Pusan ​​National University. In Busan, Korea.

According to Kim, the U-shaped curve means that “the risk associated with smoking is not a linear progression.”

“Instead, it peaks and then begins to decline or plateau, suggesting that ALS risk is influenced by smoking intensity,” he said in a university news release.

Gender appears to play a role as well.

The relationship between smoking and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis appears to be stronger for female smokers, who were 20 percent more likely to develop the disease than non-smoking women. The study found that after adjusting for other potential risk factors, this additional risk rose to 25%. The results were published in the January issue of the journal Tobacco-Induced Diseases.

The researchers noted that there are many good reasons to quit smoking, and now “encouraging people to quit smoking is crucial, given its measurable effect on reducing the likelihood of developing ALS.”

more information

Learn more about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from the ALS Association.

Source: Busan University, press release, January 29, 2024